Yarn caddy

ABSTRACT

A yarn caddy holds a skein of yarn in each of several upright tubes for paying yarn out of the open top ends of the tubes for multi yarn, manual knitting. The tubes are supported on a flat disk that is preferably mounted for rotation on a support for twisting the yarns as they pay out of the tubes.

United States Patent [191 Armstrong [4 Aug. 6, 1974 YARN CADDY 3,018,067- 1/1962 Vandervoort 242/137 [76] Inventor: Fern E. Armstrong, 11 Edgewood Dr., Baldwinsville, NY. 13027 Y [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1971 [2]] Appl. No.: 208,681

[52] US. Cl. 242/146, 242/134 [51] Int. Cl B65h 49/36 [58] Field of Search 242/134-146 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,364,987 1/1921 Fleming. 242/146 1,768,030 6/1930 Burzi.....= 242/134 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cumpst0n, Shaw & Stephens [5 7] ABSTRACT A yarn caddy holds a skein of yarn in each of several upright tubes for paying yarn out of the open top ends of the tubes for multi yarn, manual knitting. The tubes are supported on a flat disk that is preferably mounted for rotation on a support for twisting the yarns as they pay out of the tubes.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures minnows aim I 3. 27. 654

SHEET 1 [1F 2 v YARN CADDY THE INVENTIVE IMPROVEMENT Manual knitting has been a well-developed art for generations, and the tools and utensils for this craft have become well standarized. Multi yarn knitting to achieve multi colored effects has also been well known, and some special needles have been developed for this. Knitting work in process has customarily been carried about in a bag, with the yarn being withdrawn from the bag as the work proceeds.

The invention involves recognition of the special problems encountered in handling and transporting several skeins of yarn used in multi yarn, manual knitting. For example, the yarns become tangled and unmanageable when transported in the usual knitting bag, and it is difficult to apply a desired twist to the yarn as it is knitted. The invention not only recognizes these problems, but proposes a simple solution in an economical and efficient yarn caddy that stores and pays out yarn from several skeins at a time without tangling and allows any desired twist to be easily applied to the yarns. The invention aims at convenience, efficiency, economy and reliability in a caddy for multi yarn, manual knitting.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive yarn caddy includes a generally flat disk from which a plurality of tubes extend upward. Each of the tubes has a smooth interior wall and an open top end, and each is sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn to allow the yarn to be paid out of the top end of the tube. Preferably the disk is rotatably mounted on a support so that the tubes can be rotated for twisting the yarn as it pays out.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the inventive yarn caddy;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of another preferred embodiment of the inventive yarn caddy; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the caddy of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The simplest, preferred form of yarn caddy is illustrated in FIG. I. It is formed of a generally flat disk 11 serving as a base, with tubes 12 secured to base 11 and extending upright as shown. Tubes 12 are preferably formed of extruded plastic material and are preferably circular in cross section. When secured to base 11, tubes 12 are closed at their bottoms, and have open top ends 13. Each of the tubes 12 has a smooth interior wall to avoid snagging the yarn, and each tube 12 is sized slightly larger than the average yarn skein for loosely holding the skein to allow the yarn to be paid out of open top end 13. Each full skein of yarn is about 6 to 8 inches long and formed in a loose coil having an average diameter of about 2 to 3 inches or so, and each tube is then preferably about 8 inches long and 3 inches in diameter. The yarn loosely held in each tube 12 is uncoiled from the center of the skein to be paid out freely through open top ends 13 for manual knitting. Tubes 12 keep the several skeins separate and clear of any entanglements and allow easy withdrawal of the yarn without any mess or special attention required.

Caddy 15 of FIGS. 2 and 3 is a rotatable variation of caddy 10 with similar tubes 16 mounted on a flat disk 17 that has small radial projections 18 useful for rotating disk 17. A support 19 also formed as a flat disk, carries a central bearing block 20 for rotatably supporting disk 17 over support 19. A handle 21 has a long shaft 22 that extends through a central aperture in disk 17 and is secured in place in bearing block 20 on support 19. Disk 17 loosely fits around shaft 22 so that tubes 16 can be rotated on support 19. In practice, this is often accomplished with the knitters toe engaging and turning projections 18 as yarn is paid out of tubes 16. Of course, manual or other means can be used to turn tubes 16. The rotation of tubes 16 as the yarn is withdrawn sets the desired twist in the strands of yarn before they are knitted into a fabric. Some multi-strand knitting does not require any yarn twisting so that caddy 15 can be left motionless, or simpler caddy 10 can be used. Handle 21 is useful for transporting the caddy about without disturbing or disarranging the skeins of a work in progress, and it can also be attached to disk 11 for carrying caddy 10 as shown in FIG. 1. Also, handle 21 is preferably removably attached to the caddy so that it can be taken out of either caddy 10 or caddy 15 when desired. This clears a central region inside tubes 13 or 16, and such a central region is preferably about the size of one of the tubes 13 or 16 so that it also loosely holds a skein of yarn whenever an additional yarnholding space is desired. The spacing of tubes 13 and 16 around the central region is preferably close enough to retain such an extra skein of yarn in the central region for payout in the same way that yarn is paid out from one of the tubes.

Persons wishing to practice the invention should remember that other embodiments and variations can be adapted to particular circumstances. Even though one point of view is necessarily chosen in describing and defining the invention, this should not inhibit broader or related embodiments going beyond the semantic orientation of this application but falling within the spirit of the invention. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that tubes, disks and bearing supports can be made in many ways within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A yarn caddy for holding a plurality of yarns for manual knitting, said yarn caddy comprising:

a. a generally flat disk;

b. a plurality of tubes extending upward from said disk;

c. each of said tubes having a smooth interior wall and an open top end;

d. each of said tubes being sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn to allow said yarn to be paid out of said top end during said manual knitting; and

e. a support and means for mounting said disk for rotation on said support for twisting a plurality of yarns paid out of said tubes.

2. The caddy of claim 1 including a plurality of radial projections on said disk for aiding in rotating said disk as desired.

3. The caddy of claim 2 including a handle extending from said support to above said top ends of said tubes for carrying said caddy.

4. The caddy of claim 3 wherein said handle is removable and said tubes are arranged around a central region sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn.

3 4 5. A yarn caddy for holding a plurality of yarns for (1. each of said tubes being sized for loosely holding manual kmmng, 531d y caddy comprlsmgi a skein of yarn to allow said yarn to be paid out of a. a generally flat disk",

b. a plurality of tubes extending upward from said top end dunng said manual knmmg; and

disk. e. said tubes are arranged around a central region c. each of said tubes having a smooth interior wall Sized for loosely holding a skein of yarnand an open top end; 

1. A yarn caddy for holding a plurality of yarns for manual knitting, said yarn caddy comprising: a. a generally flat disk; b. a plurality of tubes extending upward from said disk; c. each of said tubes having a smooth interior wall and an open top end; d. each of said tubes being sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn to allow said yarn to be paid out of said top end during said manual knitting; and e. a support and means for mounting said disk for rotation on said support for twisting a plurality of yarns paid out of said tubes.
 2. The caddy of claim 1 including a plurality of radial projections on said disk for aiding in rotating said disk as desired.
 3. The caddy of claim 2 including a handle extending from said support to above said top ends of said tubes for carrying said caddy.
 4. The caddy of claim 3 wherein said handle is removable and said tubes are arranged around a central region sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn.
 5. A yarn caddy for holding a plurality of yarns for manual knitting, said yarn caddy comprising: a. a generally flat disk; b. a plurality of tubes extending upward from said disk; c. each of said tubes having a smooth interior wall and an open top end; d. each of said tubes being sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn to allow said yarn to be paid out of said top end during said manual knitting; and e. said tubes are arranged around a central region sized for loosely holding a skein of yarn. 